Thread by @KGETnews

The trial of Trezell and Jacqueline West has resumed with the Wests' 9-year-old biological son back on the witness stand. He's being cross-examined by Alekxia Torres Stallings, lead counsel for Jacqueline West. #WestsTrial

The Wests are charged with murder and other crimes in the deaths of Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3, who were reported missing Dec. 21, 2020 and whose bodies have not been found. Prosecutors say the boys died months before reported missing. #WestsTrial

A sidebar has been called. #WestsTrial

The sidebar was called after prosecutor Eric Smith objected to Torres Stallings asking the boy where he lives now. #WestsTrial

The attorneys and judge are back and the child is testifying to the people he lives with. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings is asking if others in the home have talked about his parents. He said no but he has seen them on TV. #WestsTrial

He said he saw them on TV once, a long time ago. #WestsTrial

The boy has talked about sleeping arrangements. He said he and some of his brothers were in the Cal City home for a "long time," but he couldn't remember how long Orrin and Orson were there. #WestsTrial

The boy said Orrin and Orson would be at the dining room table and eat there with the rest of the family. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings has finished her questioning. On redirect, prosecutor Eric Smith asked who disciplined him and his brothers. He said no, and doesn't remember who disciplined Orrin and Orson. #WestsTrial

The boy confirmed that when asked how long Orrin and Orson lived at the Cal City home he said he didn't know. #WestsTrial

On re-cross, the boy said his father would sometimes talk to him when he made a mistake, like running in the house. The boy has been excused. #WestsTrial

The next witness will be using a Spanish language interpreter. #WestsTrial

After this witness it's expected the Wests' eldest biological son will take the stand. #WestsTrial

Maria Cardenas Flores has been called to the stand. She knows Maria Martinez, Jacqueline West's mother. Has known her 20 years. #WestsTrial

Flores testified in December 2020 she lived at a home on Oakdale Drive. She said she doesn't recall giving items like a shelf and lumber to Trezell and Jacqueline West, doesn't remember them coming to her home. #WestsTrial

Smith asked if the Wests stayed at her home at some time in 2021. She said they slept over at a section "all the way in the back." They stayed there about a month, then the police came and took them out, Flores said. #WestsTrial

Smith is asking about the garage. She said she stores personal things there. Smith ended his questioning. #WestsTrial

Fatima Rodriguez, one of the attorneys representing Jacqueline West, has begun cross-examination. #WestsTrial

Flores agreed she let the Wests stay in her home as a favor to Jacqueline's mother. She said she never spoke with them about the case. The Wests slept in their car on her residence, didn't stay inside the house itself. #WestsTrial

Flores said she remembers Jacqueline and her mother coming to her house to get a bookshelf but it didn't fit in their van. She said she didn't help them put the bookshelf in the van. Under questioning by Rodriguez, she said she didn't look in the van. #WestsTrial

Rodriguez ended her questioning. Flores has been excused. #WestsTrial

The Wests' eldest biological son has been called to the stand. This is the child who Smith said told police he saw Orrin die at the apartment in Bakersfield. #WestsTrial

He's 12 years old and is in 7th grade. #WestsTrial

The boy said science is his favorite subject. He said sometimes he plays with his brothers. #WestsTrial

The boy pointed out Trezell West and said that's his father, and Jacqueline West and said she's his mother. #WestsTrial

The boy testified he remembers the apartment they lived at in Bakersfield. He said he remembers moving to Cal City. #WestsTrial

He said all his brothers slept in the same room. They had mattresses on the floor. #WestsTrial

Smith showed the boy a drawing the boy had made. The boy said he made it to show the sleeping arrangements of him and and his brothers at the apartment. #WestsTrial

Orrin slept next to one of the other adopted children, and Orson also slept next to another of the Wests' adopted children, the boy said. He said the mattresses went with them to Cal City. #WestsTrial

The boy said he didn't see Orrin or Orson being disciplined. He said his father spanked him if he did something bad. He said his father usually used his hand. He didn't see him spank Orrin or Orson. #WestsTrial

Smith showed the boy a photo. The boy said his dad made it and it was kept for self defense. It's a stick. #WestsTrial

Shown another photo, the boy said he believes it's the apartment where they lived. He said his parents bought a home in Cal City in 2020. #WestsTrial

The boy said he was excited his parents bought a home in Cal City. He said he doesn't remember how many rooms it had or how big it was. #WestsTrial

The boy recognized the house when Smith showed him a photo. #WestsTrial

The boy said "everybody" moved to the Cal City house, including Orrin and Orson. #WestsTrial

The boy said he remembers an incident in Bakersfield where Orrin threw up. He doesn't remember when it happened or what time of day. He believes it was morning. #WestsTrial

The boy said he saw Orrin throwing up. He said he's not sure what happened to Orrin. He said he doesn't remember much about it. #WestsTrial

The boy said he saw vomit. He said he's not really sure what he meant when he told police Orrin's color was fading. #WestsTrial

The boy said he's not sure if Orrin was taken somewhere while they were in the apartment in Bakersfield. #WestsTrial

Shown a picture of his room in Cal City, the boy said he slept in the top bunk, his biological brother slept in the middle and he believes Orson slept in the bottom bunk. He said he's not sure if Orrin or Orson slept in the bottom. #WestsTrial

The boy said he was home-schooled in Cal City. #WestsTrial

Smith showed a photo of what the boy said was their school room. He said he and 3 of his brothers went to the school room, not Orrin and Orson. #WestsTrial

The boy said around Christmas 2020 he remembers going to his grandmother's house. He said he doesn't remember who drove him or who was in the van. He said he remembers the police coming to his grandmother's house and being questioned. #WestsTrial

The boy said he tried to tell police the truth. #WestsTrial

Smith is going to play the videos of the boy's interview with police. #WestsTrial

The boy said he recognizes himself in the videos. Transcripts of the interview are being handed out to the jury. #WestsTrial

The video is playing. The boy was 10 at the time. #WestsTrial

The boy says he knows the difference between a lie and the truth. #WestsTrial

If he does something wrong at home "we get talked to by dad," the boy says. #WestsTrial

The boy says he knows it's wrong to hurt or kill someone. He says he knows it's against the law and "it's just wrong because why would you want to kill somebody?" #WestsTrial

The boy says he likes being at home and has a bunch of toys. #WestsTrial

He says Orrin and Orson weren't with them when they got dropped off at his grandmother's house. He doesn't know where they got dropped off but said his parents dropped them off a while ago. #WestsTrial

He says it was weeks ago. #WestsTrial

The boy says his parents told him they were dropping Orrin and Orson off at their grandparents' house. #WestsTrial

The boy says they haven't talked to Orrin or Orson. He says he doesn't know why they went to their grandparents' house. He says he liked Orrin and Orson but they were sort of annoying because they cried a lot. #WestsTrial

The boy says Orrin and Orson went to the Cal City house with them. #WestsTrial

The boy has clarified his answer and says Orrin went to his grandmother's house before they moved to Cal City, and Orson went after they moved. #WestsTrial

The video is over. #WestsTrial

Smith is continuing to question the boy. #WestsTrial

The boy he doesn't remember telling the officer the boys had been gone for weeks. #WestsTrial

He said he remembers "a little bit" talking with another person after the officer. He said he doesn't remember what type of questions she asked. #WestsTrial

The interview the boy had with that person will be played by Smith. #WestsTrial

Transcripts are being provided to the jury. The video is about 20 minutes long. #WestsTrial

The video has begun. A woman enters the frame and says she'll be interviewing the boy, and gives the time and date. #WestsTrial

The woman leaves, then returns with the boy, who takes a seat on a chair while the woman sits on a couch. #WestsTrial

The woman asks him to tell her about his dog, which he does. He gives descriptions of the 3 dogs. #WestsTrial

The boy talks about being at his grandmother's house. He says his parents dropped him off at his grandmother's house on the 19th. #WestsTrial

The woman asks where Orrin and Orson are. The boy says at their grandmother's house. He says they went there "before this month." #WestsTrial

He says his parents told him the boys were at their grandparents' house. He says the boys weren't around for Thanksgiving or Halloween. He says he believes they left after they moved. #WestsTrial

The boy says he doesn't remember what month they moved to Cal City. #WestsTrial

The boy says Orrin and Orson were around for his birthday in June, and were there in July for one of his brother's birthdays. #WestsTrial

He says Orrin and Orson went to their grandmother's house "a couple of days after we moved." #WestsTrial

The boy says he hasn't seen Orrin or Orson since then. He says his parents didn't tell him how long the boys were going to stay with their grandmother. #WestsTrial

The woman stops out of the room. #WestsTrial

She returns and continues asking questions. #WestsTrial

The boy agrees it's long time for Orrin and Orson to be at the grandmother's house. He says his parents didn't say why the boys went there. #WestsTrial

"Why do you think I'm asking you questions about Orson and Orrin?" the woman asks.
"I don't know," the boy says. #WestsTrial

The woman finishes questioning him and they leave the room. Smith stopped the video. Court is in recess for 15 minutes. #WestsTrial

Court is back in session with the 12-year-old boy back on the stand. #WestsTrial

He's still being questioned by prosecutor Eric Smith. #WestsTrial

The boy said he doesn't really remember that much, doesn't really remember Orrin and Orson going to their grandmother's. #WestsTrial

The boy said he doesn't remember what his parents told him about Orrin and Orson coming back. Smith is asking the child to look at the transcript of the interview and what he said back then. #WestsTrial

The boy said his parents told him Orrin and Orson would return after spending time at the grandmother's house. #WestsTrial

Smith is directing the boy to another part of the transcript and asking him to read it. #WestsTrial

The boy said he was asked to put a time as to when Orrin and Orson went to their grandmother's, and he said it happened a couple days after they moved. #WestsTrial

The boy read another part of the transcript at Smith's behest. He said his answer when asked if he had seen the boys after they went to their grandmother's was "no." #WestsTrial

Smith is going to play a video of a second interview the boy had with the woman. The first interview occurred Dec. 22, 2020, the second on Dec. 28, 2020. #WestsTrial

Attorney Timothy Hennessy has asked for a sidebar and the judge and attorneys are leaving the room. #WestsTrial

They have returned. The video will be played. Transcripts are being passed out. #WestsTrial

The video is playing. The boy enters the same room as before and has a seat in the chair while the woman who previously interviewed him has a seat on the couch. #WestsTrial

The boy says he's been crying because he's been taken away from his parents. He says it's because Orrin and Orson are missing. #WestsTrial

He says Orrin choked while he was sleeping. He says it happened at the apartment they lived at in Bakersfield. #WestsTrial

The boy says Orrin was throwing up. The next morning his parents found Orrin, he says. His parents told him about it and asked him if they should keep it a secret. #WestsTrial

Orrin had taken Orson's drink. Nothing happened to him, they just went to bed, the boy says. He says he saw Orrin the next morning. #WestsTrial

The boy says Orrin was on his belly in the morning and they realized he had choked when his parents tried to wake him up. #WestsTrial

The boy says his parents were crying when they told him about Orrin. #WestsTrial

The boy says Orrin's color was "fading" when he saw him. He says his parents asked him if they should call an ambulance and he told them no because his parents said he would be taken away. #WestsTrial

The boy says he doesn't know what happened to Orrin after that. He says his parents told the other boys Orrin went to their grandmother's to keep it a secret from the others. The boy says he touched Orrin's body and it was cold. #WestsTrial

The boy says Orson went to Cal City with them. He says he thinks Orrin died a week before they moved, and that Orson was taken to his grandmother's house 4 days after the move. #WestsTrial

He says Orson never came back. He says he was asleep when his parents took Orson. #WestsTrial

The boy says sometimes his parents used their hands to smack the boys, or a "paddlestick." He says he got hit with it once, everyone got hit with it. He says they deserved it. #WestsTrial

One of the children -- not Orrin or Orson -- was forced to take cold showers if he peed while sleeping, the boy says. #WestsTrial

The boy says his parents chopped up Orrin's food using a blender then put it in a bottle. They didn't want him chewing with his mouth open, he says. Orrin later stole Orson's drink, then they went to bed, the boy says. #WestsTrial

The boy says his parents told Orson to punch Orrin for stealing the drink. He says he thinks Orson punched Orrin but he wasn't there. #WestsTrial

Then they all went to sleep and he heard noises but thought it was normal because Orrin and Orson always made noises, the boy says. Orrin was dead the next day. #WestsTrial

The woman steps out of the room. #WestsTrial

The woman returns. The boy says he doesn't know what his parents did with Orrin. #WestsTrial

The woman is asking him about the placements of the beds in the room. #WestsTrial

The boy says he was excited when they moved to the new house in California City. He says there was a bunk bed for Orrin in the house because his parents didn't want to let the others know what had happened to him. #WestsTrial

The woman gets a water for the boy and asks more questions. #WestsTrial

The boy talks about wondering why the police showed up to his grandmother's house. He says he thought the "original parents" called police because they thought something happened to Orrin and Orson. #WestsTrial

The boy says he saw Orson months ago. The video has ended. Court is in recess until 1:35 p.m. #WestsTrial